


Never Forgotten

by Mabby



Category: Primeval
Genre: AU, F/M, Het, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-24
Updated: 2014-10-11
Packaged: 2018-02-06 02:37:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1841218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mabby/pseuds/Mabby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU.   Abby and Matt met prior to him arriving at the ARC</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

Abby resisted the urge to swear very loudly as the third black cab in a row drove straight past her with its light off. “Whatever happened to chivalry and stopping to help a lady on her own?” she muttered angrily under her breath.

 

If she had the vaguest idea where she was, she'd at least know if a night bus came along this road. Glancing at her watch and realising it was past 3am, she didn't rate her chances anyway and had to hope that at least one cab driver would take pity on her.

 

She'd told herself that she wouldn't get herself into situations like this again, not now that she had a cool, new job working for the government. She made a vow that she would behave responsibly, settle down and not just jump into bed with the first cute guy that showed her a bit of attention. Yet here she was, early hours of the morning in the middle of god only knows where, trying to find her way home after she'd allowed a guy she'd met a couple of days ago buy her a few drinks and then charm her into his bed.

 

In her defence, this one was in a different class to her previous conquests. She'd noticed him at the zoo three days running, which wasn't particularly unusual in itself since there were often students hanging around at this time of year, but he didn't look like a student. It was his eyes that caught her attention first. A cool blue with a twinkle that spoke of possible mischief beneath the otherwise serious expression he wore. He had a look about him that suggested he was in the army, a fact that usually made Abby recoil in horror, but in his jeans, denim shirt and navy t-shirt he seemed friendly.

 

On the third day he caught her looking at him and he smiled before taking a visible deep breath and striding over to her. “Hi,” he said nervously. “I guess if I had some questions about keeping reptiles as pets, you'd be the person I should speak to?”

 

For a moment, Abby was distracted by the accent. He had a soft, Irish lilt that somehow seemed to make her feel warm and happy. She couldn't help returning his smile, in spite of the fact she normally disapproved of people keeping reptiles at home. She seemed to spend half her day dealing with pleas for help from parents who had bought their child a 'lizard' and now it was either ill, or taking over their home because it had grown to an unexpectedly large size.

 

“I'll try to help,” she said. “Did you have anything in particular in mind?”

 

“I was thinking maybe a bearded dragon or something?”  


“Good choice. They're pretty docile as long as you don't have two males together and they don't mind being handled. They don't grow that big either.”

 

The man nodded gratefully and thanked Abby for her time. He looked like he was about to leave and Abby felt a sudden urge to keep him talking. “I have some contacts I can get for you if you like? You should only buy from a reputable supplier.”

 

“Thanks... if it's not too much trouble?”

 

“The details are in the office. Come on, I'll get them for you.”

 

They'd ended up chatting for some time about the best equipment, and it was only when he started to ask if she had any reptiles and what was the most unusual breed she'd come across that she put her guard back up. Her thoughts turned to Rex, the coelurosauruvus she was keeping at home.

 

“Rare and unusual breeds need more specialised care,” she said quickly. “I just don't have the time to look after them properly so I stick to the more common breeds.” She tried to read his expression, wondering if he was something to do with Home office and was testing her out. This new job with the government was important to her, and she didn't want to blow it so soon by letting on she was keeping a prehistoric creature at home.

 

“That makes sense, I suppose. Listen, I have to get going but I'd like to talk more. Can I buy you a drink tomorrow night?” He was writing his mobile number down on a scrap of paper and before she could argue he was pushing it into her hands. When she glanced at the number and the name 'Matt', she realised that they'd been talking for over an hour and she'd not even told him her name.

 

She found a business card in a desk drawer, crossed out her boss's name and scribbled her own, adding her mobile number to the bottom and gave it to him.

 

“I'll see you tomorrow then, Abby,” he smiled.

 

And so, the following evening, Abby was sat in the pub talking to Matt. After a couple of drinks the talk moved on from Bearded Dragons and snakes to more superficial things, and then the inevitable invite to his place 'to see where the best place for a vivarium was'. Abby was no fool, she knew what the invite really was, but she was past caring. They'd barely gone through his front door before his hands and mouth were on her and she willingly went along with it. The sex was good, not the best she'd ever had but she'd certainly had worse, and she came to her senses around 2:30 am when she left him sleeping and made her escape, just like she always did.

 

“Taxi!” At last, a cab went past with a light on. She waved as if her life depended on it, and thankfully it slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road. She was finally heading for the security of home with enough time to catch a few hours sleep and allow herself to push this latest one night stand to the back of her mind.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

He'd tried to call three times now. Abby stared at the screen of her phone that said “3 missed calls” and sighed. It was probably almost a year since she'd slept with the cute Irish guy with the flirty eyes and soft accent, and had pretty much forgotten about him until now. Part of her was intrigued as to why he was trying to contact her now after all of this time. The rest of her was scared.

 

She'd pushed him to the back of her mind after that night, just as she'd done all the other one night stands she'd had, and got on with her life. Her new job with the government was exciting and already taking over every spare minute she had, so it was only three weeks later when she realised that her period was late that her thoughts turned back to Matt. How could she have been so stupid as to sleep with a guy she barely knew and not use protection? She knew she should be worried about a long list of sexually transmitted diseases, but right then her concern was whether she was pregnant or not.

 

There wasn't anyone she felt she could turn to for support. The few friends she'd had at college had all moved on and she hadn't been in contact with them for over a year, and the only person she could even vaguely call a friend was her flat mate, Connor Temple. He was a decent guy, but she couldn't picture him being able to give her the advice she needed. Fortunately, the day she decided to go and get a pregnancy test from the local chemist, she got her period and the panic was over. From then on, Abby vowed that she really would stop jumping into bed with any guy that paid her a little attention.

 

So what did she do now? If he'd called a few weeks ago, she'd have just ignored the calls, but the last couple of weeks had been very difficult and she suddenly felt a need to reach out to someone that wasn't connected to the ARC. Three days ago, they'd buried Professor Cutter and it hurt to even think about him. He'd been almost like a father to her recently and he'd guided her and supported her. Connor had been absolutely devastated, and she'd pushed aside her own grief to help him. The ARC needed Connor more than ever now, and she had to make sure he got back into the game as soon as possible. As a consequence, she hadn't allowed herself a proper release, and it seemed Matt had appeared at the right time.

 

Taking a deep breath, she pressed 'call back' and waited. It rang twice before he answered.

 

“Abby?”

 

That voice. Abby was thrown straight back to their first meeting at the zoo when he'd been asking her about what sort of reptile she'd recommend keeping and how she'd been distracted by the accent and his eyes.

 

“Yes, sorry I missed your calls. It was a bit of a surprise to see your name there after all of this time and I wasn't sure...”

 

“I understand. I suppose this is a bit out of the blue and I don't blame you for being cautious. I've been away for a few months, just got back last week and I'm in need of some company.”

 

Abby closed her eyes. What sort of company was he looking for? He sounded lonely, and truth was, so was she. What harm would it be if she met up with him? “I'm not sure I'd be great company to be honest, a good friend died recently and I'm...” she blinked away a tear and continued. “But it would be nice to maybe have a drink yeah?”

 

“I'm sorry to hear about your friend,” Matt said. “It sounds like you need someone to talk to? I'm a good listener.”

 

“Do you know the coffee shop on the High street, opposite the train station?” He said that he did, and they arranged to meet there later that afternoon.

 

##

 

He was waiting for her when she arrived and he stood up as she came over and smiled. She ordered a small latte and joined him at the table. “I'm glad you came,” he said. “I knew it was a bit of a long shot when I dialled your number, but one thing I've learnt recently is that life's too short to not take a chance.”

 

Abby nodded. If she was upset over Cutter's death, it was nothing compared to what Jenny was going through. Abby knew that she liked Cutter, but had held back from actually telling him how she felt. Now it was too late, and she was regretting that she'd not taken that risk.

 

“I came looking for you,” Matt continued. “Went to the zoo and they told me you'd left a while ago.”

 

“Yeah, not long after we...” She felt her face burn with embarrassment.

 

He let out a small laugh and cleared his throat. “I thought about you a lot you know. I did think about asking you out again, but you made it pretty clear that you were only interested in a one off. Then my work took me away for a while and there wasn't much point in pursuing anything.”

 

“What do you do?”

 

“I'm a botanist, specialise in rainforests mostly.”

 

“Wow!” Abby couldn't help wondering how Matt would fit into the ARC team. He'd probably be blown away by some of the specimens in the labs there at the moment. If the team weren't still reeling from their recent losses, she would have suggested taking on a researcher.

 

“Not half as glamorous as it sounds, I'm afraid. I just spent the last 8 months up to my armpits in grime, gunge and countless unknown bacteria. But enough about me. Your friend. Do you mind me asking how he or she died? Illness?”

 

“He... Nick. It was... he was shot by his ex-wife.”

 

Matt raised his eyebrows and reached across the table to hold Abby's hand. As they connected, Abby felt all of the grief she'd pushed aside come flooding back and it was taking all the strength she had not to cry. “That's something that must be pretty difficult to deal with?”

 

She nodded and bit on her lower lip, looking down as she tried to blink away the tears forming in her eyes. Without a word, Matt handed her a paper napkin from the table then squeezed her hand. “Do you want to go somewhere a little more private? I can take you home if you like?”

 

“I don't want to go home,” she said. “But I don't want to stay here where everyone can see.”

 

“Okay, well how about my place then? I think it's tidy enough to accept visitors.”

 

Abby found herself agreeing and moments later she was in Matt's car going to his flat. With hindsight, Abby realised it was probably not the best thing to be doing, but she also figured that if he was dangerous, he'd have done something to her a year ago that night when she'd had a few drinks. She hadn't paid much attention to the details of his home before, it had been a case of stumbling in through the door, locking into a heated, passionate embrace and then he'd carried her to his bed. That thought was uppermost in her mind as he opened the door and led her inside.

 

“Make yourself at home,” he said. “I'll put a pot of coffee on.” He disappeared into what Abby assumed must be the kitchen and she took in the sights around her. It was very obviously a single man's place, it lacked some of the comforts that Abby considered essential in her own home, though she was impressed by his unusual display of plants. Something was missing though.

 

“Coffee won't be long,” Matt said, coming back in.

 

“You didn't get a bearded dragon then?”

 

Matt blushed. “Ah, yes. That. There was never going to be a bearded dragon. It was just an excuse to talk to you.” He encouraged Abby to sit on the sofa and then sat beside her, placing his hand on her shoulder. “Let it out, Abby. Sometimes allowing yourself to cry helps a lot.”

 

Abby wasn't sure why, but she felt completely at ease with Matt and she let the floodgates open. His scent filled her nostrils as she buried her face against his chest, and when his arms folded around her, her sobbing became uncontrollable. He stroked her hair and whispered that it would all be okay.

 

It was some minutes later when she could shed no more tears and began to pull away from Matt. As she looked up, she caught a glimpse of something in his eyes and she knew what she wanted. Reaching up, she sought his lips and grazed her own against them. He responded at first, but then stopped. “Abby, we shouldn't do this. I can't take advantage of someone that's grieving.”

 

“You wouldn't be taking advantage,” Abby whispered. “I know my mind and I want this.” She kissed him again, her lips more insistent this time. Matt let out a groan and circled his arm around her neck, drawing her against his body as he returned the kiss. The heat between them rose as the kiss deepened and Abby allowed Matt's tongue to tangle against her own.

 

She ran her hand down his chest and over his stomach, and he shifted, taking her hand and guiding it down further so that she could grasp his growing erection through his jeans. Her head began to spin, her heart pounded hard against her chest and her breathing deepened. There was no doubt in her mind where this going, maybe it was always going to end up this way considering Abby had made a point of checking that she still had that packet of condoms in her wallet.

 

She felt his hand move to cup her breast as her hand stroked his length and he let out a whimper. “Bedroom?” he whispered.

 

“Yes,” she responded. He was already getting to his feet and holding out his hand for her. He led her silently to the bedroom and then they fell onto the bed, a tangle of limbs and mouths as clothing was shed. They joined as one, a crashing together of two bodies in a perfect rhythm. It was a moment that left Abby sobbing, clinging to Matt's body as they both climaxed.

 

When Abby woke, she was alone in the bed. She glanced at her watch and realised it was early evening. Beside her, the bed was creased where Matt had laid, holding her until she fell asleep. The air was thick with the scent of their union and Abby felt that familiar warmth and satisfaction that only came after good sex, but unlike most of her previous encounters where she couldn't wait to leave, she wanted to remain here.

 

She heard movement in the room on the other side of the door. Matt was doing something. She grabbed her t-shirt from the floor where it had been thrown and pulled it on, then padded across the room to the door and out into the living area.

 

“Hello, sleepy,” Matt greeted her. He was chopping vegetables. “Hungry?”

 

“I couldn't expect you to make dinner for me too,” Abby said. “I've already outstayed my welcome. I'll get dressed properly and be out of your hair in no time.”

 

“Who said you've outstayed your welcome? If I didn't want you here, I wouldn't have let you sleep.  Dinner won't be anything fancy, just some stir fried vegetables. You can go and shower if you like there's a clean towel in the bathroom.”

 

A shower sounded good, so Abby went to the bathroom and switched on the shower, watching the jet of water for a few moments before taking off her t-shirt and stepping inside the cubicle. The warmth of the water cascading over her body was soothing and she closed her eyes to think about the latest turn of events. She liked the idea of someone taking care of her for a change, she'd spent most of her life looking after someone else – her mother when she was too drunk or hungover to do anything, her brother Jack, even Connor – and here was a good looking guy, making dinner for her whilst she showered, not to mention the fact he had held her when she needed a shoulder to cry on and the sex... it felt like more than just sex if she was honest with herself. Abby wasn't the kind of person who actually believed in love, but right now, she felt something that made her feel very good indeed.

 

Wrapping Matt's oversized bathrobe around her, she went back to where he was now just plating up their dinner. “Smells good,” she said.

 

“Take a seat. Do you drink wine?”

 

Dinner passed pleasantly, conversation flowed easily. Matt talked about some of the places he'd travelled to whilst Abby listened in awe. She wished she could share some of her stories with him, but it was too early to know if she really could trust him. Maybe in time she'd tell him about the anomalies...then she gathered her senses. This really was new territory for her, thinking about a future. Whatever Matt had that other men hadn't, she wasn't complaining. 

 

After dinner, they moved back to the sofa and Matt poured them both another large glass of wine. “Do you have plans for this evening?”

 

Abby shook her head. “Usually, my flat mate and I just sit and watch DVDs and gorge ourselves on pizza and crisps.”

 

“I see. So it wouldn't be a problem if I asked you to stay a little longer?” 

 

Before she could respond, his lips were on hers and his hand slid inside the bathrobe to caress her breast. Abby let out a laugh, not quite believing that this was happening. It was exactly what she needed and it felt so completely right. His kisses moved to her throat and neck and then she felt the bathrobe being pulled over her shoulders. Before long, she was naked beneath him, gasping his name and gripping tightly to the sofa with one hand and his back with the other as he moved inside her again. 

 

They'd barely recovered from that when Matt scooped her up into his arms and carried her back to his bed. Abby took control this time, straddling his hips and sinking down onto him, claiming him completely. They collapsed together, panting hard, exhausted but satiated, and fell asleep tangled in each other's embrace.

 

##

 

It was morning when they both stirred. Abby lay for a moment, enjoying the warmth of Matt's body against hers and his breath on her neck, but she knew she had to make a move and leave soon. Reluctantly, she peeled herself away from his embrace and sat up. Matt followed, snaking his arm around her waist and kissing the back of her neck.

 

“You don't have to go. You're welcome to stay.”

 

“I'm needed at work.”

 

“On a Sunday?”

  
“Yeah, sorry. We had a fire a couple of weeks ago and it's been pretty chaotic. I promised I'd help move the new furniture in so that we can be up and running as planned tomorrow.” She was cursing herself now though for her terrible timing. 

 

“Then I suppose you must go,” Matt said, sighing. He leaned in and turned Abby's face towards his, kissing her passionately. He was not letting Abby go easily. She sighed, returning the kiss and then dragged herself away to go in search of her clothes.

 

She dressed and was about to leave when Matt was behind her again. “I'd like to see you again, Abby. I get that you're usually the one night stand kind of girl, but I think this is different.”

 

“No promises,” Abby said. “My life is a little complicated at the moment, but perhaps we could have dinner some time and see where it leads?”

 

“That sounds good to me,” Matt replied. 

 

As Abby left and walked down the street to find the nearest tube station, she felt a spring in her step that she'd never felt before. Is this what love felt like?

 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

She almost hadn't recognised him at first- he'd put on a little weight and he was the last person she expected to see coming out of the ARC vehicles. Then when he barely acknowledged her and formally introduced himself, she thought she was mistaken and it wasn't him.

 

But now, sitting opposite him as he interviewed her, she was certain it was him. There was no mistaking the accent, or those eyes, yet there was still no acknowledgement of their former relationship from him. Perhaps he hadn't recognised her? She did look very different and he had only ever known her as Abby, but surely if he'd been at the ARC for a while he would have seen her files, seen the old photos of her and made the connection.

 

“I think that's all, for now,” he said, leaning forward and switching off the camera. “I've arranged for Jess to sort you out with some food and drink, if you want some?”

 

Abby nodded and forced a smile. This was a slightly awkward situation, but if she didn't say something now, it would get worse. “Matt... I suppose it must have been a bit of a shock to find me here... or not here... when you took on this job?”

 

“Yeah,” he smiled. “All I knew about this job when I agreed to it was that they needed someone with a military background and proven leadership skills, along with some knowledge of evolutionary sciences. I thought I was going to be leading some kind of scientific expedition into a remote jungle or something. Then they made me sign the official secrets act and handed me the files.”

 

“Mind blowing, eh?”

 

“At least now I understand why you never called me. I was disappointed. I thought that there was a chance we'd... never mind. I gather you're with Connor now? From what Becker tells me it's no real surprise.”

 

“I wouldn't have got through the year without him. Like I said, we kept each other alive.”

 

“I'm glad you've let someone into your heart. Look, I haven't let on that I knew you before, and I'm happy to keep quiet if you want me to.”

 

“I'd appreciate that,” Abby said. “And it's not that I'm ashamed of what we did, far from it. But Connor's a bit insecure as it is, convinced I'm going to just dump him now that we're back to reality. If he knew that you're the guy I slept with a few weeks before we disappeared then I think it would throw him into a real panic.”

 

“Then it's our secret, Abby.”

 

She smiled gratefully then left the interview room to find Connor waiting outside for his turn. “What's he like then?” Connor asked.

 

“He's okay, I think. Seems to know his stuff.”

  
“We'll see,” Connor sniffed. “Anyone who agrees with us being pushed aside can't be that great.”

 

Abby watched Connor go inside, his whole body language indicating his annoyance and anger. She wouldn't like to be in Matt's shoes right now.

 

##

 

Weeks and months passed. After earning their places back on the team, Abby found that working alongside Matt was good. She felt the ARC really did need someone who was experienced in leadership, as much as she liked Cutter and Danny, neither were natural leaders and had inherited the role by default. The team was much tighter now, slicker in their responses to anomalies, and even though she knew Matt and Becker occasionally clashed, they had a mutual respect for each other that worked well.

 

When Emily arrived, Abby sensed that she and Matt connected. She wanted Matt to be happy, having not seen that sparkle in his eyes that she'd once known since she'd come back. Emily came with many complications though, and Matt was being professional, holding back. When she went through the anomaly back to her own time, Abby saw the disappointment in his eyes.

 

Connor in the mean time was also concerning Abby. He'd changed since they'd been back, spending more time shut away in his private lab doing work for Philip Burton than he did with her and the rest of the team. Whenever she tried to show an interest in what he was doing, he shut her out. It was having a negative effect on their personal relationship too. He would often not come home until the early hours. She'd given up on waiting until he come home now and made herself dinner and went to bed when she was ready. If this continued for much longer, she wasn't sure if she could remain in this relationship.

 

Then, she caught Matt in Connor's lab, trying to access something on his laptop. It seemed he was concerned about Connor's behaviour too but he wouldn't go into details, he just asked Abby to trust him. She was torn, she did trust Matt but at the same time she didn't understand why he would be so secretive either. Part of her did wonder if it was jealousy, but she pushed it away. It was only when she watched Matt's reactions as they tried to deal with the giant beetles that things started to make sense.

 

“You've seen them before... in the future. Which means one of two things. Either you've been to their time, or you came from there in the first place. So which one is it?” she challenged. Her heart raced when she thought of what either possibility meant. He had known about the anomalies before he came to the ARC, and he probably knew about them when she had slept with him.

 

“Come with me.” he said simply, removing his ear piece and beckoning for her to follow him. He took her to one of the interview rooms, switched off all the recording equipment inside and locked the door. Then he leaned on the table and took a deep breath.

 

“In the future the planet is dying. This is my only chance to save it. If I fail, all life on earth will come to an end.”

  
“What has that got to do with the ARC?” Abby rested her hands on her hips and stared defiantly at Matt.

 

“Something goes wrong with the anomalies in this era. I'm here to find out what it is, and if I can, stop it.”  
  
Abby couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. “So your whole identity is a lie. And you've been investigating us all since you got here. Connor...”

 

“Abby, I need to know what he's been doing for Philip.”

 

“You think it's him?”

 

“I've got to show you something.” Matt removed what Abby had thought was his watch, then he placed a small circular object onto the table and flicked something on his wrist. A holographic screen opened and Abby took a step back as images of familiar landmarks cycled through in front of her, but those buildings were in ruins. She swallowed nervously.

 

“What you're seeing is your future,” Matt continued. He nodded and asked if she was okay. She said she was, even though she felt sick to the stomach. Then he bought up an image of Connor. “If you're going to be a part of this, you have to know what you're dealing with. I need you to help me.”

 

“Help you? Matt, why should I even believe what you're saying? You've lied to everyone... lied to me...”

 

“I know it sounds crazy, and yes I lied. I had to. If I'd told anyone what I really was, then whoever is responsible for this disaster would be on their guard.”

 

“When you came to the zoo that time, and you talked to me... did you know that I was involved with the anomalies?”

 

Matt nodded. “I'd been watching you for a few weeks. I was at the anomaly site where you found the Coelurosauravus. I'd been waiting for someone to show more than just a passing interest in the anomalies for months, and you were the first one.”

 

“So you only came to me hoping I'd lead you to the ARC?” Abby's blood began to boil. She'd been used as well as lied to, and she couldn't believe that she'd actually thought he'd been interested in her.

  
“In the beginning, yes... but...”

 

“I've heard enough.” She stormed over to the keypad on the wall to enter the security code and unlock the door. Matt grabbed her wrist.

 

“Abby. I'll admit that I had an ulterior motive when I asked you out for a drink, but the other stuff... sleeping with you... I didn't expect to actually fall for you, and despite the fact I wasn't supposed to be getting close to anyone here I couldn't stop thinking about you.”

 

“That's supposed to make me feel better is it?” Abby spat. “And now you want me to help you spy on Connor?”

 

“I believe that he and Philip hold the key to what happened. I have to know what they're doing that's so secret, and you're the only one that can get close enough to Connor to find out.” He placed his hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged him off. “You're upset and need to time to digest what I've told you...”

 

“Upset doesn't even begin to cover it, Matt.” She punched in the code and the door opened, and she practically ran to get away from him. Matt came after her, trying to stop her. She swung around angrily and met his eyes.

 

“Abby, I have to know that you won't share any of this with anyone. If Connor or Burton were to...”

 

Abby sighed. “Your secret is safe with me, for the moment anyway. I have to decide how I deal with all of this myself before I even contemplate telling someone else.” 

 

“Thank you,” Matt replied, relieved. “That means a lot.”

 

Abby sniffed and turned away again, striding down the corridor and determined that she would not look back. She was on the verge of tears, but would not allow them to fall whilst Matt could possibly still see. She forced them back and held her head high until she reached the safety and privacy of her own office next to the menagerie. She locked the door and turned off the security camera, then sat in the chair and buried her head in her hands. The tears finally fell.

 

Matt's story made sense, why would he make something like that up? It was the fact she'd been taken in by his charm way back when she had only just discovered what an anomaly was that made her angry. She'd even been contemplating a proper relationship with him after the day he'd comforted her. Did he know about Cutter's death when he called her out of the blue? He probably did, and was hoping he could get more information from her. She recalled how kind he'd been and how it had felt so right to have him make dinner for her whilst she showered. Then she thought about how she'd woken up next to him the following morning and had been reluctant to leave him and how she'd felt an unusual spring in her step as she went to work. Jenny had even commented that Abby had a glow about her and asked if she was in love.

 

But none of it meant anything. Matt's attentions were purely just to try and get information about the ARC from her. He was just like every other man in Abby's life, except for Connor – and even he was becoming a stranger to her now. What if he was the one that Matt was looking for? Why had she ever allowed any of them to get under her skin?

 

She'd been sat for at least half an hour when the door opened. She didn't look up – it could only be one of two people who could have got in through the coded door lock and she didn't particularly want to speak to either of them at the moment.

 

“Abby, I need you to understand...” Matt began.

 

“I don't want to talk to you.”

 

“I'm not asking you to talk. I'm just asking you to listen, and then I'll be out of here.”

 

Abby looked up and sighed, resigning herself to Matt's persistence. He sat opposite her, leaning on the desk. “When I came here, I spent the first few months just finding my feet. My father spent a lot of time setting us both up with appropriate documents, inventing a history for ourselves and then making sure we both knew enough about the current time to blend in. After that, I began looking for evidence of anomalies.”

 

“The forest of Dean seemed to be a 'hot spot' for them. I read enough on the internet to realise that anomalies were opening there and it seemed the best place to start. That was when I came across you and the others.”

 

“And that was when you decided to target me,” Abby spat. “Did you think because I'm female I'd be easier to get to? That I'd be the easiest one to manipulate?”

 

“It wasn't like that. You were the easiest to get to because the others were all based at the Universtiy campus, and unless you're a student or a lecturer it's not easy to get on site, let alone get to speak to the likes of Professor Cutter. The zoo, and you, were my easiest option.”

 

Abby blinked. She supposed that made sense. She remembered trying to get to Cutter's office herself once and not being able to get any further than the main reception area and had to call him to come and get her.

 

“I realised that you weren't going to open up whilst you were at work, so I hoped that you'd relax more in a more social situation. I didn't bargain on actually finding your company interesting, or that there'd be an attraction between us. And I certainly hadn't planned on getting you into bed.” His face turned pink before he swallowed and continued.

 

“My father was so angry when he worked out what had happened. I wasn't supposed to get that close to anyone and he told me I risked jeopardising our whole mission, so I stayed well away from temptation for a long time and shifted my focus onto Helen Cutter. Fir a long time, I thought she was the one I was looking for but, like Burton, she was very good at keeping her activities a secret.”

  
“So if you followed Helen, then you knew about Cutter being killed...”

 

Matt nodded. “I did, but the only reason I contacted you was because I was concerned about you. You'd never been far from my thoughts in all that time and I... You have to believe that I wasn't using you. My father would've had a fit if he'd known I'd been in touch with you again, let alone had sex with you... three times...” he grinned, and Abby couldn't help returning the smile despite herself.

 

“I'm sorry if you feel betrayed or used, Abby, that really wasn't my intention. I actually cared about you, had feelings for you... still do if truth be told...”

 

Abby's eyes widened and then she pushed aside a feeling she knew she shouldn't be experiencing. “I've been lied to all my life, Matt. I thought the people around me now were trustworthy, people I could trust my life with...”

 

“And you still can, Abby. Maybe it's hard to see right now, but when you've had time to take it all in, you'll understand why I had to keep my true identity a secret... and I still have to keep it that way. I just need you to help me.”

 

Abby did understand, but was Connor really the one Matt had been looking for all of this time? If he'd told her this a month or so ago, she'd have dismissed him straight away, but Connor's odd behaviour lately concerned her too. “What makes you so certain that Burton is connected to the anomalies? Maybe he and Connor are working on some big invention and they don't want anyone else to steal their ideas”

 

“I spoke with Danny Quinn briefly before he left to go after his brother,” Matt said. “He told me that Helen Cutter had paperwork with her, paperwork with Philip Burton's name on it. She had questions she wanted to ask him about anomalies.”

 

“Philip knew Helen?”

 

“It seems they were aware of each other's work at least.” He watched Abby's face, almost seeing her heart sinking and shattering apart. He reached for her hand and squeezed it, tangling his fingers into hers. She squeezed his hand back and took a deep breath.

 

“Okay. I'll help you. I'm not entirely sure what this will do to my relationship with Connor, but some things are bigger than individuals, right?”

 

Matt nodded and leaned forward, kissing Abby softly on the lips before leaving. Abby stared after him for several long seconds, wondering what on earth she'd got herself into.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

“Connor will come round,” Matt said, resting his hand on Abby's shoulder. “Once he's had chance to think about everything, he'll realise that what you did was necessary.”

 

She shook her head. Connor would never forgive her for this. They'd both kept secrets from each over the last few months, something they'd promised they'd never do. “I might be able to salvage a friendship from all of this,” she said quietly. “Enough for us to be able to work side by side at the ARC, but anything else...”

 

“Isn't that what you wanted? You and Connor would've split up weeks ago if it wasn't for the fact you were spying on him.”

 

“I may have fallen out of love with him, but he still means a lot to me. I'd probably have been killed in the Cretaceous if it wasn't for him.” She dipped her head and buried her head in her hands. “My head's all over the place at the moment, Matt. I don't know what to think.”

 

She shrugged Matt's hand away and he stood up. “I'll give you some space. I need to start working on my reports about today.”

 

“Good luck with that,” Abby looked up and managed to raise a smile. “Where do you even start?”

 

“I have no idea. I might do the Kings Cross report first, that's pretty straight forward in comparison.” Matt began to make his way to the door.

 

“Matt. Just so you know. I'm not angry with you any more. It must have been damn hard keeping all of that a secret from people you were getting close to, and I'm sorry I gave you a hard time.”

 

He just simply nodded and left, closing the door behind him and leaving Abby alone with her thoughts. She supposed that she should be going home, but that would mean facing Connor. As soon as the anomaly at Kings Cross had been dealt with, he'd slunk off alone. She knew he'd be feeling thoroughly ashamed about his part in what could very nearly have caused an apocalypse. In time, he'd realise that no-one actually blamed him, he'd simply been taken in by Burton's charms and the promise of being respected as a scientist. He'd also realise that he'd already got the respect of the team and had nothing to prove.

 

After taking a long detour home via the supermarket for food she didn't really need, Abby finally climbed the stairs up to the flat she shared with Connor. Of late, it had become a lonely place and not the cosy home that she and Connor had planned it to be. His jacket was on the hook by the main door and his boots placed beneath, which meant he was home. Abby prepared herself, not sure what she was going to say to him.

 

She found him in the bedroom, rucksack open and partially filled with clothes. “Where are you going?” She asked softly, leaning against the door frame.

 

“Thought I'd head home. To Blackburn I mean. It's just for a couple of weeks to give everyone time to think. I'll take as much of my stuff as I can, you can put the rest into boxes whilst I'm away and I'll pick it up when I've found somewhere else to live.”

 

“You don't have to move out, Connor.”

 

“One of us should.”

 

“So this is it then? Not even a second chance or trying to make it work again?” She sat down on the bed beside the bag, already knowing the answer.

 

“Is there any point? See, I'm not the only one that kept things secret in this relationship am I? We both promised so much to each other when we were in the Cretaceous, and it all meant nothing when we came back.”

 

“I wouldn't say that. Connor, you meant everything to me... and that's why I had to do what I did. You wouldn't listen to my concerns about Burton, I had to do something.”

 

“Did you know about Matt then? Where he's from and why he's here?”

 

Abby nodded. “I sort of guessed that he wasn't from this time, and when I confronted him with my suspicions, he told me everything. He asked me to help him, he wanted me to spy on you. I couldn't do it at first, and I thought if I could persuade you that Burton was...”

 

“Yeah. You and Matt seemed to get pretty close after Emily left. Did he you give his 'man from the future' line before or after he took you to his bed?”

 

“It wasn't like that, Connor!”

 

“Really?” Connor sighed and sat beside her. “I neglected you, I dismissed your concerns... I wouldn't blame you if you turned to another man.”

 

Abby decided that it was time she told the truth, there'd been enough lies and keeping things secret. “I did sleep with Matt; a couple of times actually.” She saw Connor's heart break in that instant and she reached for his hand. “But it wasn't whilst I was with you. It was a long time ago, before the Cretaceous...”

 

It took a moment for what she'd just to said to register with Connor, then he looked confused. “You knew Matt before?”

 

“He's been watching anomalies for years, Connor, trying to find out who was showing more than just a passing interest in them. At that point, he had no idea who he was actually looking for. When we showed up at the Forest of Dean, he realised we were the first potential lead he had and he followed us. He told me he'd tried to get into the University to speak to you, Cutter and Stephen but couldn't get past security. So, he came to the zoo... and I fell for the Irish accent and the charm. Of course, he never actually told me he knew about the anomalies. I just thought his interest in me was...” She felt her cheeks burning and stopped.

 

“He was one of those one night stands you told me about?” Connor sniffed. “You said you slept with men to make yourself feel good and then left in the middle of the night feeling worse than before. Wait.. you said you'd slept with him a couple of times?” He closed his eyes and then it dawned on him. “Matt was the one that contacted you after Cutter died, wasn't he? The one you said you'd thought about maybe having a proper relationship with?”

 

Abby just nodded.

 

“And do you want to be with him now?”

 

“I don't know. Perhaps you're right about needing a couple of weeks away to get our heads around stuff.”

 

Connor stood up and continued to put things into his bag, watched by Abby for a few minutes. “Are you going tonight?”

 

“No point in hanging around is there? I'll be out of your hair in an hour or so. I'll drive for a couple of hours and find a hotel, then carry on to Blackburn in the morning.”

 

Abby left the bedroom and tried to settle in the living room, flicking through the TV magazine. Then she went to the kitchen to make a drink. This was wrong. She couldn't just hang around waiting for Connor to go. In fact, she didn't want to be here at all when he left. Whilst she accepted their relationship was over, that actual moment when he walked out would be too much. Grabbing her jacket, she left quietly and got in her car.

 

Her head was all over the place, and before she realised it, she had driven across town and had no idea where she was. She pulled over to the side of the road and rummaged in the glovebox, hoping to find the SatNav. Fortunately, it was there and sprang into life when she pressed the 'on' button. Abby wasn't entirely sure how to work it; she usually left the gadgets to Connor. The map of her current location flashed up, though it gave no real clues to where she was.

 

“Come on, Abby, how difficult can it be?” She pressed another couple of buttons and the screen read 'Calculating route'. Then it gave her an estimated time of 15 minutes to an address in North West London, one she recognised. The last time the SatNav was used, she and Connor were going to Matt's for New Year's eve. Maybe it was some kind of sign? At least if she could get to Matt's, she would have a better idea of where she was and find her way home again. He was probably still at the ARC anyway, trying to piece together his report.

 

Some minutes later, the SatNav told her that she had reached her destination. The apartment block where Matt lived was straight in front of her and some of the flats were in darkness. She glanced along- third floor, fifth window from the left. The light was on. Either Matt was home or his lighting was on an automatic timer. Something told her that he was home and that she should at least go and say hello. It was better than heading home and possibly still finding Connor there.

 

Buzzer 3/10 was Matt's. She waited for him to answer but it seemed to be taking an age, then there was a crackle and the sound of his voice, “Hello?”

 

“Matt, it's Abby. Can I come up?”

 

There was a buzzing noise which meant Matt had released the lock and she was able to go inside. As she ascended the stairs, she felt a stirring inside, a feeling of familiarity and excitement, memories of previous visits here. He was waiting for her at his door, a nervous smile on his face.

 

“I'm surprised to see you.”

 

“Connor's packing, getting ready to leave. I couldn't face being around when he went. I'm not entirely sure how I ended up here. If you don't want...”

 

“Come inside, Abby.”

 

She entered and glanced around, remembering the last time she'd been here alone with him, how he'd tried to get her to stay after she'd spent the night. It was a thought she had to push to the back of her mind.

 

“Does Connor have somewhere to go?” Matt asked.

 

“He's heading home up north for a couple of weeks. He has family there still, a cousin I think.”

 

“That's good. A bit of personal time might help him.” Matt motioned for Abby to sit down. “Have you eaten? I was going to order a pizza in a while ago, but I lost track of time doing my report.” His laptop was open on the table.

 

“I've not eaten, no. Maybe I could throw something together whilst you work? How's the report going?”

 

Matt sighed. “It's not. See, I don't know how much needs to be in it. Lester did say that we wouldn't tell the Minister about me... but I'm tired of all the lies, and I couldn't expect everyone on the team to keep my secret either.”

 

“Then just... tell it as it was. Let Lester decide what'll be put on official record and what won't. It's not for you to decide in the end.”

 

“I know.” He sat down in front of the laptop and frowned, his mind focussed on the screen in front of him. Abby stroked his shoulder, then went into the kitchen area to see what she could put together for them to eat.

 

Abby wondered how on earth Matt managed to stay so healthy. His cupboards were practically bare and there were none of the staple items she relied upon in her own cooking. She found half a packet of dried pasta, though quite how long it had been there she didn't dare think about. She remembered passing a petrol station not that far from Matt's that looked like it had a small shop attached to it. At least it would be better than old pasta served with tomato ketchup.

 

“I'm going to get us something to eat,” she said.

 

Matt didn't look up or away from the computer screen, but pointed to the worktop to Abby's left. “Take the keycard for the main door. You'll be able to get straight back in without needing to use the buzzer.”

 

As she walked up and down the aisles of the shop, Abby smiled and shook her head. Was it all men that completely failed at taking proper care of themselves, or just the ones she knew? This reminded her of the time she'd gone away for the week to a friend's wedding and had left Connor to fend for himself. She'd returned to empty cupboards and a bin full of takeaway cartons. Then she frowned and chastised herself for even comparing Matt and Connor, the two were in completely different leagues. At least Matt had an excuse for neglecting his weekly shopping lately, and the current state of his cupboards was probably not reflective of his usual arrangements. In fact, she did recall that he'd thrown together a pretty decent meal that evening...

 

A large can of soup, a loaf of bread and some cheese were in Abby's basket by the time she got to the checkout, and she grabbed a couple of bars of chocolate to add to it as she paid. It wasn't much, but sometimes a warm bowl of soup and a toasted cheese sandwich was enough to ease any troubles, if only for a few minutes. Matt had looked wary and stressed. If she could drag him away from the computer for half an hour to relax and eat, she was certain he'd find his report easier.

 

As she climbed the stairs back up to Matt's flat, her stomach growled and she realised just how hungry she was too. A pang of guilt hit her when she thought about Connor. She'd not thought to ask him if he'd eaten and she supposed he probably hadn't, given how quickly the day's events had unfolded. Was he already on his way to Blackburn and would he think to actually stop for food? Then she reached Matt's door and the thought passed. She had to stop feeling responsible for Connor and let him stand on his own two feet now.

 

Matt was slumped over the table beside his laptop. Concerned, Abby went over to him and gently touched his cheek. He'd simply fallen asleep, exhaustion finally catching up with him. He looked so peaceful and it seemed a shame to disturb him, but she also knew that she couldn't leave him to sleep like that.

 

“Matt?” she said softly, touching his shoulder. His eyes fluttered and he groaned in protest. “Matt? Come on, let's get you to bed eh?”

 

For a moment, Matt seemed a little confused, then he sat up. “I need to finish the report.”

 

“No you don't,” Abby said firmly, clicking 'save' on the document he'd been typing and shutting the laptop down. “If you don't get some sleep, you'll be no use to anyone.” Reluctantly, Matt stood up and Abby gave him a push in the direction of his bedroom. She followed him inside and watched him slump onto the bed, finally giving in. After taking his shoes off, she then tried to move him so that he laid on the bed properly and lifted the duvet to cover him.

 

“Are you trying to seduce me, Abby Maitland?”

 

Abby giggled. “If this is your idea of seduction...”

 

“It's not, but you already know that.”

 

Abby sighed, trying to ignore the pounding of her heart in her chest. It was the first reference Matt had made to their previous relationship in a long time. “Get some sleep. You'll feel so much better in the morning.” She turned to leave, but Matt grasped her arm.

 

“Stay. Please?”

 

“I'm not sure that would be such a good idea, Matt.”

 

“We don't have to pretend any more. Life's too short, Abby.”

 

“I said I wasn't angry with you,” Abby said, pulling away from his grasp. “I didn't say I wanted to jump back into your bed. Besides, how would it look if I spent the night with you when Connor's not even been gone 12 hours?”  
  


“Since when did you care about what other people thought?”

 

“I don't care what people think of me, but I do care what they think about those I care about.”

 

There was a moment of silence, then Abby stood up and walked to the door. “Connor's not the only one that needs a bit of breathing space,” she said.

 

“I understand. But, when things have settled... Would you consider letting me at least take you out?”

 

“Goodnight, Matt.” She couldn't help smiling, and as she closed the bedroom door behind her she half wondered if she was doing the right thing by walking away now. Part of her thought it would be nice to just curl up in bed with him and be held. She wasn't looking for sex, although that too would be nice, just comfort and security. Would she find that with Matt eventually once she'd got her head around everything that had happened? She sighed and made her way out of the flat, switching off the lights and hoping things would settle down enough for them all to have clear enough minds to make the right decisions.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

If everyone at the ARC had obeyed doctor's orders, it would have left just Becker and Abby to run everything for the last two weeks. Lester had dragged himself in despite his injuries, saying he needed to make sure the Minister was given the full facts, minus the complication of Matt's true identity. He and Matt worked for many hours, writing, re-writing, editing, deleting and then finally agreeing on what exactly needed to be on official record and what needed to remain purely a fact that was known to the team but no-one else. They were both exhausted and Lester was in obvious discomfort.

Jess tried desperately to be the perky and efficient girl that kept morale up, but wasn't fooling anyone. After six days, she confessed to Becker that she wasn't sleeping. “When I close my eyes,” she said, “all I see is that... thing... attacking Lester.” Her bottom lip trembled and she found herself in the comforting embrace of the Captain and being taken home. Abby hoped he would be able to help her through this, knowing he had probably experienced numerous nightmares of his own. He'd witnessed many horrific things, both during his time at the ARC and in his previous assignments with the British army in Afghanistan and Iraq. She also hoped it would be the final nudge he needed to finally admit that he saw Jess as more than just a friend. If it wasn't, then she was seriously considering shoving them both through an anomaly. 

Matt too was experiencing his own share of issues, though he would never admit it to anyone. Abby knew he'd been to see Sam, the ARC's medic a couple of times, but when she asked if everything was okay, he'd said “Of course,” and walked away. She'd spent too long with him recently to know when he wasn't himself. He was keeping his distance, giving her the space to think that she'd asked for, but she wished he'd talk to her and let her help him through whatever was troubling him.

“Connor's due back tomorrow,” Becker said, interrupting her thoughts. “Except no-one's heard from him since he left, not even Lester. Has he contacted you at all?”

Abby shook her head. “I expect that I'm the last person he'll be updating.”

Becker gave a sympathetic look. “His leaving wasn't just to do with him being embarrassed about New Dawn was it? Jess suspected as much, but I told her she was being ridiculous.”

Abby figured that he may as well know, it wouldn't be a secret once Connor was back anyway. “Connor and I have split up.”

“I'm sorry.”

“It's fine. All very amicable really, you don't have to worry about us arguing out on a call.”

“Believe it or not, Abby, but my concern isn't just work related. I do actually care about you both as friends.”

“I know, and I'm sorry. It's been a stressful few weeks.”

Becker placed his hand on her shoulder and turned to go back to the armoury when there was a scuffle upstairs, and Sam ran along the corridor and disappeared into Lester's office without knocking. Abby and Becker exchanged concerned looks and ran up the stairs to stand in the open doorway. They both expected to find Lester struggling in pain, but he was stood by his desk looking worried, whilst Sam was helping Matt up from the floor and onto a chair. Becker stepped forward to help, and moments later Matt was sitting and looking slightly embarrassed.

Sam opened his black bag and rummaged around for a blood pressure monitor. 

“Matt?” Abby was stood behind him, feeling an urge to take him into her arms but holding back and just placing her hand on his arm.

“It's a lot of fuss over nothing,” he said, putting out his hand to stop Sam fastening the arm band around him.

“Let Doctor Thomas be the judge of that,” Lester said sternly. 

“Yes,” Abby agreed, grasping Matt's hand and pulling it back so that Sam could continue. 

“This is the second time you've fainted in the last week, Matt. I wouldn't call it 'nothing'. Your blood pressure was a little low last time, did you follow my advice?” 

At least now Abby knew why he'd been to see Sam. Matt sighed and resigned himself to be examined by the doctor, but wouldn't make eye contact with Abby. 

“With Connor and Jess away, and Lester not up to full capacity, I've been very busy,” he said. Sam inflated the arm band and then watched the electronic monitor as it deflated. He then removed the band and pulled out a small flash light from his bag.

“What have you had to eat and drink in the last 24 hours?”

Matt dipped his head and muttered something about a coffee when he first woke up. “And nothing since?” the doctor asked. “What about last night? Did you have a proper meal at all yesterday?” Matt's silence said everything and Sam frowned. “I want to do a full check up on you in the medical bay, just to rule out a few things.”

Matt nodded his head and stood up, then immediately sat down again. He was pale, and Abby thought he'd aged by several years in the space of just a few minutes. It scared her and she crouched down beside him, holding his hand and touching his face. “Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well?”

He shrugged her away and stood up again, slowly and taking a deep breath. “I'm not ill. Like I said, this is a lot of fuss over nothing.” As he began to follow Sam out, he swayed. Becker was at his side immediately.

“Lean on me,” Becker said quietly. “Let the doc take a proper look at you, eh?” Becker glanced at Abby then walked with Matt out of the office and along the corridor towards the medical bay. Abby watched in silence, a million thoughts whirling around in her head. What if Matt was seriously ill? The thought she might lose him made her stomach churn and she took a deep breath. She had to know that he was okay.

By the time she got to Sam's office, Becker was coming out and closing the door behind him. “Sam'll take care of him, Abby,” he said.

“I know, but will Matt take care of himself?”

“I think between us, we'll convince him he needs to obey doctor's orders.” Becker tried to raise a smile, but saw the concern on Abby's face. “At least I can tell Jess her theory was right.” Abby gave him a look. “The reason you and Connor split up... You like Matt, it's written all over your face.”

“I never cheated on Connor,” she said. “But things between us got very strained whilst he was working for Philip.”

“And you and Matt grew close whilst you were trying to figure out what they were up to. Does he know how you feel?”

“I didn't really know how I felt myself until a few minutes ago.” She felt tears prickling her eyes and she blinked, trying to stop them from falling. Becker's comforting hand on her shoulder almost made the flood gates open but she stopped herself falling apart.

“Come on, let me make you a coffee and we'll go and sit in Matt's office to wait for him.”

Abby nodded and walked with him slowly until they reached the kitchen area. She leaned against the work top, watching Becker put the filter into the machine and carefully measure out the coffee. She'd never really seen this softer side of the Captain before. Was he mellowing with age or was it Jess's influence? Maybe it had always been there but she'd been too wrapped up in her own life to notice?

“Matt and I knew each other a long time ago,” she finally said, not sure why she felt the need to tell Becker. He raised a questioning eyebrow, urging her to say more as he watched the freshly brewed coffee begin to drip into the glass pot below. “Back in the very early days when Stephen and Cutter were still alive. He befriended me, hoping to get insider details on the ARC.”

“I knew he'd been watching the ARC for a long time,” Becker said. “But he never said that he'd been friends with you.”

Abby took a deep breath. “I wouldn't exactly say that we were friends... we slept together a couple of times, that's all.”

“That's all? Abby...” Becker laughed and shook his head. “I bet it was a bit of shock to see him when you came back from the Cretaceous? Did Connor know?”

“No. I asked Matt not to say anything about our previous relationship, especially not to Connor.” She blinked and then sighed. “I've been giving Matt a hard time lately. I felt like he'd used me, that all he was interested in was what I might tell him about the ARC.”

“I felt used to,” Becker said. “Once I'd had time to think about it, there was a part of me that was angry with him for fooling us all. I'd trusted him, although I didn't always agree with him. But then I realised that he really didn't have much choice until he was certain who he was looking for. I suppose I would've done exactly the same if I was put in the same position... except perhaps the sleeping with you part, you're just not my type, Abby!”

They both gave an embarrassed laugh and Becker turned back to the coffee machine. The smell of fresh coffee filled Abby's nostrils as he poured two cups and handed one to her. “In all seriousness, Abby,” Becker said as they made their way towards Matt's office. “There may be a lot about Matt that we don't know, but he doesn't seem the type of man that would use sex as a way of getting information. He relies on his intelligence, keen observation and listening, and he's professional to the core. If he ended up in bed with you, then you must have had such a strong effect on him he broke his own rules. That tells me something, and it should tell you something too.”

Abby nodded. She'd witnessed Matt at work and knew that what Becker was saying was right. If he had only got her into his bed to get information from her, then surely he'd have been asking her questions when they were snuggling together. He could have been talking to her about the ARC whilst he made her breakfast that morning... but he didn't. He had broken his own rules for her. That thought was pretty mind blowing. 

They stood by the door to Matt's office and Abby waited for Becker to enter in his security code to unlock the door. Then she stopped him from walking straight in and gave him a hug. When she released him, he raised his eyebrow questioningly.

“Thank you for helping me make up my mind,” she said. 

“I believe your mind was already made up. You just needed convincing it was the right thing.” He smiled. “Look. I think the only person that will be able to persuade Matt to listen to whatever advice the doc gives him is you. If I'm here when he comes back, he'll just put on a brave front.” With a nod of mutual understanding, Becker left Abby alone.

It was only half an hour, but felt like considerably more, when Matt returned from seeing the doctor. “Whatever lecture you're going to give me,” he said. “It can't be any worse than what I've just had from Sam.”

Abby waited for him to sit down, then crouched at his side, touching his knee. “What did he say?”

“Dehydrated, over tired, stressed... Need to eat regular meals, take a few days off...” Matt sighed. “I told him I couldn't, not at the moment.”

“Yes you can, and you will.” Abby stood up and held out her hand. “You're going home right now. I'm going to make you something good to eat and then you're going to rest.”

“Abby... Lester's struggling with his injuries more than he lets on, and with Jess and Connor still away...”

“Becker can handle the security stuff, we have the tech guys taking care of the ADD. Connor should be back tomorrow, and if he's not... we have plenty of soldiers to handle any anomalies, everything else can wait.”

Matt looked resigned to doing what Abby was telling him. He grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair and sighed. “Okay, I'll take the rest of today off and if Connor is back tomorrow then I'll take tomorrow off too...”

Abby knew she had won a small victory at least. She hoped once she got him home and he realised just how tired he was, he'd accept that he needed to take some time off to recover from the last few months after all.

##

The smell of lavender filled Matt's small apartment whilst Abby put together some sandwiches and boiled the kettle to make some camomile tea. If her tried and tested relaxation oils in the bath didn't help Matt, then nothing would. She wondered if her presence was helping or not, and whether she should just leave him to it. He did seem to have finally taken the doctor's advice on board for the moment.

He emerged from the bathroom with just a towel around his waist and Abby swallowed, taking in the sight for a moment before turning back to the food. The memory of being close to that chest was strong, how her own naked flesh had tingled as it pressed against his...

“This looks good. Thank you, Abby,” he said softly. He took a sandwich from the plate and bit into it, his stomach immediately growling in response. His eyelids felt heavy, and despite his hunger, his need for sleep was taking over. “It seems such a waste. I'm sorry.”

“They'll keep,” she said. “I'll wrap them in clingfilm and put them in the fridge. You can have them later when you've had some sleep.”

He nodded and disappeared into his bedroom. Abby waited a few moments, then followed him in. He was already in bed, pulling the duvet around him. He smiled when he saw Abby in the doorway. “Come to tuck me in and read me a bedtime story?”

“If you like.” She sat on the edge of the bed, and after a few moments Matt reached out to hold her hand.

“Stay?”

She sighed. They'd been here before only a couple of weeks ago. She wondered if he would be so ill now if she'd not walked away that night. If she hadn't asked him for space, maybe she would have realised he was working himself too hard and could have done something sooner. “I'll stay until you fall asleep.” she said eventually. 

He closed his eyes, and Abby watched him for a few minutes. He looked peaceful and more like the Matt she knew now that the tension had gone from his face. His breathing was even and she knew he was falling asleep pretty quickly. She should be going and heading back to the ARC to help Becker, but the urge to stay with Matt was stronger. Right now, he was more important to her than anything else. Kicking off her shoes, she slid under the duvet and moved close to Matt. His arms circled her waist and shoulders, drawing her against his chest and holding her tightly. She responded, holding onto him just as tightly, and then her tears began to fall. She wasn't sure who needed this moment more.

##

“What's this?” Abby asked, glancing around at the array of food spread out around the kitchen.

“Dinner,” Matt smiled. “I told you I was cooking tonight.”

“This is... impressive.” She didn't know where to start looking. He'd been quizzing her about her favourite foods for several days and now she knew why. This wasn't dinner, it was a banquet. “Who else is coming?”

“No-one. This is just for us.”

Abby raised her eyebrows. “I'm afraid a lot of this is going to go to waste. We couldn't possibly get through all of this.”

“Maybe I did go a little over the top. I couldn't decide which dish to make for you, so I did all of them.”

Abby felt her cheeks burn as she smiled and he pulled out a chair for her and she sat down. “I'm honoured,” she said. “But why?”

“Two reasons really,” he said, sitting opposite her. “One is to just say thank you for the last couple of weeks. I've never really been ill like that before, and I've certainly never had anyone who would sit with me like you did.”

“I'm just glad you finally listened to the doctor's advice. We've missed having you at the ARC and it'll be great to have you back on Monday.”

“A full team again. It'll feel strange. Now... did you want to start with the cauliflower cheese or the noodles?”

They ate as much food as they could until their stomachs felt so full they could barely move, and Matt poured more wine several times. Abby couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this content. Since she'd realised her true feelings for Matt, life had been good. Now that she couldn't manage another mouthful, she leaned back in the chair and smiled.

“What was the other reason for all this?” she said. “You said there were two reasons...”

“Ah, yes.” Matt leaned forward over the table and took Abby's hand. “I was just hoping to seduce you properly this time.”

“I see,” she said coyly. Her heart seemed to miss a beat and then began to race. This was exactly what she wanted but had been holding back whilst he wasn't fully fit. She stood up and tugged his hands. “You had me three weeks ago.”

She began to walk towards the bedroom door and Matt followed, holding her hand. They paused at the doorway and he pulled her into a kiss, soft at first but as she sank into his embrace it deepened. The door was pushed open and they stumbled across the room, falling onto the bed and tangling limbs together.

Almost two years had passed since she'd slept with him, but as his hand slid up and under her shirt it all felt incredibly familiar and right. The heat rose very quickly between them as clothing was shed and they moved together as if they'd been making love to each other for years. They would connect and reconnect many times that night, clinging to each other as their bodies thrashed and pulsed with intense pleasure. They had many months to make up for and, they hoped, the rest of their lives to do it.


End file.
